1. Field of the Invention
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/524,700 filed on Aug. 17, 2011 and incorporated in its entirety by reference thereto.
The present invention relates generally to tool containers and holders. More particularly, the disclosed device relates to a multi-function tool carrier providing, in one preferred as-used engaged mode, a ladder-engageable tool holder/container, and in a second preferred mode, a combined step stool and tool holder/container.
2. Prior Art
Service and maintenance industries including construction, demolition, plumbing, electrical, landscaping, janitorial, and the like conventionally require workers to use and thus carry many hand tools and other equipment through their workday. Conventional methods for the transport, carry, and organization of tools include tool boxes, belts, buckets, bags, packs and various others containers.
The typical tool belt provides a convenient means to carry tools on a user's body which can save quite a bit of time and effort when changing tools. The tool belt is often the most desired choice of carrying means by workers since it allows them to maintain most, if not all, needed tools close by and at all times. However, if a user has many tools, the belt can become heavy and undesirably bulky, and possibly interfere with the job at hand. As such, the tool belt which is a device that was meant to help with the job is merely interfering and slowing down the user.
Alternatively, the typical tool box provides a rigid box-like structure for containing tools and other equipment, and often employing a carrying handle and lockable lid. Such devices may be preferred for larger or more expensive equipment wherein the user may desire to lock the tools within for safe keeping. Further, although a tool box will similarly become quite bulky and heavy given a plurality of tools, a user will typically place the tool box in one location on a work site and simply return to the box as needed to acquire the correct tool.
However, while constant retrieving relieves the problem of carrying a plurality of heavy tools on their person, the task of continuously returning to the tool box wastes time, especially if an incorrect tool was chosen accidentally, or if the job at hand requires the user to change tools frequently. Further, the conventional tool box is limited to the formed compartments within the interior and is not easily modified to accommodate all types of tools.
As outlined above, conventional tool carrying devices fall short in providing convenient and effective tool carrying methods. These devices further inconvenience should user visits be required if positioning for the task at hand is more involved. Positioning for a particular task adds time to accomplishing the job if the user leaves and returns, such as when a user is working in an elevated position upon a ladder.
Construction and maintenance practices and tasks often require a user to scale a ladder as needed to work on a task at elevations which they cannot comfortably or physically reach from the ground. To comfortably perform a task at an elevated height, a means to elevate the user to the correct working height is required. Ladders are known to vary greatly in size and height and while even employing a ladder at low elevations, a conventional tool belt can become bulky and possibly interfere with safety when atop the ladder. Similarly, since the user cannot carry a heavy tool box in one hand and scale a ladder and perform a task, employing tools from the conventional tool box will require a user to repeatedly scale the ladder to return and retrieve the correct tool. Moving to and from the elevated job position upon the ladder is time consuming and can possibly compromise safety since each trip increases the chance of falling.
As a result, in an attempt to solve this problem, prior art has shown tool carrying devices and containers that are engageable to a ladder. U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,581 to Christ et al. teaches a ladder-supported holding tray providing engagement to a ladder rung. However, the device merely provides a tray surface for paint or alternatively temporarily placing a tool and does not provide means for secured engagement, storage, or transport of various tools as may be desired.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,123,620 to Bourne; 5,333,823 to Joseph; and 5,950,972 to Irish teach detachable carrying containers providing engagement to the top platform of a conventional stepladder. These devices, however, are limited either by providing only a single tray or compartment or alternatively only a limited quantity of tools receiving cavities.
These, as well as other prior art tool containers, further fall short in that they lack utility required on a jobsite in that they only accomplish the task of holding or containing tools and equipment. As a result, the prior art devices themselves only add to the clutter of components a user or handyman already owns.
As such, there is a continuing and unmet need for a multi-function ladder engageable tool carrying device that additionally serves other purposes. Such a device should alleviate the need to carry tools and other items on a tool belt when climbing or situated atop a ladder in order to reduce hazards associated with such. Such a device should not require screws, clamps or other means of engagement to the ladder but should be easily engageable by a simple placement over the top platform of a conventional folding ladder. Such a device when in the engaged position atop the ladder, should not interfere with the stepping portion of the ladder.
Still further, such a device should be formed of rigid material such that in a secondary as-used mode, the device can replace a ladder for lower positioned jobs and tasks and can be employed on the ground or other support surface as a combination step stool and tool holder/container. In either position, in order to minimize the need to move between the job at hand and a tool box, such a device should comprise one or a combination of containers, compartments, holders, shelves, and the like as needed to organize, store, and permit transport of the device and operatively held tools for the intended task.
The forgoing examples of related art and limitation related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive, and they do not imply any limitations on the invention described and claimed herein. Various limitations of the related art will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of the specification below and the accompanying drawings.